on "world news" tonight, boiling point. temperatures now soar into the 80s. see people skiing in similar suits. and we'll show you some dairy cows gone haywire. pushed out. the stunning announcement that the lead investigator in the case of trayvon had martin is stepping down. cause of death. breaking news. the l.a. coroner reports what caused whitney houston to drown in her hotel bathroom. and aabc news exclusive. the young man convicted of a hate crime in the rutgers bullying case. >> do you hate gay people? >> he speaks to chris cuomo one-on-one, tonight.

good evening. across much of this country, the windows are open and the air conditioners are on tonight. forget spring. the thermometer says we're already in summer. as of tonight, look. nearly 5,000 heat records have been set this month. and look at detroit. it was 86 today. that's the hottest day in march ever. abc's steve osunsami is tracking the real economic consequences of this weather, including confused plants and animals going haywire. >> reporter: an early spring is one thing, but temperatures this high seem unbelievable. for this michigan apricot farmer, the heat is a huge headache. his trees are blossoming five weeks way too early. >> here today, they are in full bloom, which is unreal. >> reporter: that scene is playing out with apples in new york and asparagus across can country. farmers fear the cold weather could come back and kill off their crops. the cost could run into the millions. >> to say they are concerned would be an understatement. >> i don't figure we're frost free until memorial day weekend.

>> reporter: but in illinois, corn growers are betting the farm on the heat wave, planting their seeds early, hoping for a bigger and better harvest. and the weather has been good to cows in the midwest. warm cows eat more, and in iowa, the average cow is producing 7% more milk than it did this time last year. and in the 23 states that produce the most milk, each cow is averaging nine gallons more -- another 25 glasses of milk per cow. as for people, well, in maine, they're skiing in bathing suits. but in other parts of the country, nothing but allergy aggravation. across much of the south and east, the warmth has brought on record shattering pollen. it covers everything and some people can barely breathe. >> it feels like i'm breathing through cotton candy almost. >> deep breath. >> reporter: today they were running to their doctors. >> one more big one. itchy, swollen, puffy around the eyes.

and people literally want to claw their eyes out. >> reporter: and then there's trouble with the tulips. at the kentucky derby, they are coming up early. and the flowers will have come and gone well before the horses leave the gate in may. >> and they are off! >> reporter: steve osunsami, abc news, atlanta. and now we have breaking news tonight in the case of the unarmed black teenager shot dead by a crime watch volunteer in florida. the police chief has stepped down, temporarily. saying he had become a distraction in the investigation. abc's matt gutman is in florida with more on the shooter and the people taking to the streets tonight. >> reporter: the resignation tonight came swiftly. the man who headed the investigation is out. >> i do this in the hopes of restoring some semblance of calm to the city which has been in turmoil for several weeks. >> reporter: turmoil over how the police handled this case. abc news learning that the

police never interviewed key witnesses -- such as martin's girlfriend, who was on the phone with him, listening as the tragedy unfolded. >> trayvon said, what are you following me for, and then the man said, what are you doing around here? then somebody pushed trayvon. >> reporter: they never administered a toxicology test to the shooter, george zuckerman, after he declared self-defense. the fbi now investigating this as a possible hate crime. in miami, an entire high school walking out to protest. tensions rising. >> i'm losing my cool right now. >> reporter: with anger focused now on the shooter, the 28-year-old neighborhood watch captain -- >> there's gunshots. >> reporter: who shot and killed martin, unarmed, after wifing candy. today the police tell us they don't know where he is, so abc news deployed reporters to learn more about him. zimmerman grew up as an altar boy. george hall is an old neighbor. >> i wrote a recommendation for him. top notch kid. very polite.

very helpful. >> reporter: as an adult, there were run-ins with the law, arrests for battery on a police officer and domestic violence. and he seemed suspicious of black people, making 49 calls in the past year alone to police. >> two african-american males. two black males in their late teens. >> reporter: reporting his suspicions. his friend and former crime watch captain frank taafe thinks he might have snapped. >> this house here, we had several dea sweeps. this home here right next door to it was a daytime burglary. we had another potential burglary right here. so, this is a pretty hot zone for criminal activity. >> reporter: defending him, his father says he's his tannic, growing up in a multiracial family and is not a racist. >> and that was matt gutman, reporting for us from florida tonight. and we have some good news to report on the jobs front today. the number of people applying for unemployment benefits dropped to a four-year low last

week. 348,000. but another set of numbers not so good. the average price of gasoline rose another two cents to $3.88. prices are six exed to keep rising before peaking in late spring or early summer. we also have new information about that dramatic helicopter crash we showed you last night. abc news has learned army investigators are now looking into the reason it was flying so low to show off for spectators below. both crewmen survived. no one on the ground was injured. but another contributing factor could be the fact that there was thin air in the afghanistan mountains and therefore harder to fly. tonight, kroger, the largest supermarket chain in the country, has announced that they, too, will stop selling meat containing the inexpensive filler known as pink slime. you can see the full list of

stores selling meat no longer with that filler at abcnews.com. and of course this is all a result of our investigation. and it was abc's jim avila who broke the pink slime story. tonight, he's on a new case, looking into fake drugstores. today, congress decided to crack down on phony pharmacies, stockpiling vital, life-saving drugs. >> reporter: maryland head basketball coach brenda frese is not afraid of challenging authority, especially off the court, when it involves her four 4-year-old son, tyler. shocked when she found out his leukemia treatment was threatened by a cancer drug shortage. >> let's wake up here. how many people have had to die? it makes me sick to my stomach to think about it. >> reporter: coach frese wrote her congressman, elijah cummings, whose investigators found one big reason for the shortage, fake pharmacies. >> what they do is they horde the drugs and then basically help to create the shortage.

>> reporter: to this is really beyond greed. it's insensitivity. >> it's criminal. >> reporter: we visited what congressional investigators identify as a fake pharmacy in maryland. there is supposedly a pharmacy licensed here but as you can see it doesn't look much like a pharmacy. it's pretty well locked up. here's how it works. they act as middlemen, buying drugs from the manufacture, but then sell to a drug wholesale company they also own, often at the same address, marking up the price a second time, before offering to desperate hospitals. investigators say these fake pharmacies sold a $15 vial of cancer fighting fluorouracil to hospitals for $350. congress sent 19 letters to supposed pharmacies across the country this week and are working with state authorities to pull their licenses. north carolina closed this one, never open to actual customers. their shelves have few drugs, specializing only in those short supply. >> we're paying a ridiculous price for many of these drugs

sometimes marked up 100%, 200%, 300%. >> reporter: creating a shortage and high costs that interrupt and threaten cancer treatments for patients like tyler frese. jim avila, abc news, elkton maryland. and now that breaking news about the death of whitney houston. the los angeles coroner's office finally reveefling what killed the superstar singer who was found, as you know, under water in her hotel bathtub on february 11th. abc's juju chang has the latest. >> reporter: whitney houston's sudden death six weeks ago at the beverly hilton hotel was shocking, but not exactly a mystery. now, the toxicology report clarifies what many people suspected. cause of death? drowning and cocaine use. officially, houston's death is classified as an accident. she drowned in the bathtub. but according to the coroner's report, coe tan and metabolites

were part of the death. also in houston's system, a host of other drugs doctors say did not contribute. among them, marn, xanax and ben day drill. houston died the night before the grammys. she had struggled for years with drug and alcohol problems but told abc's diane sawyer she had overcome her demons. >> i can't say that i'm always going to be perfect. >> everyone says, it's day by day. day by day. >> yes, yes, yes. >> but now, do you say, not at all? or do you say, i can -- >> i'm going to tell you that. i am going to tell you that. i am not self-destructive. i'm not a person who wants to die. i'm na person who has live and wants to live. >> reporter: tragically, that wouldn't hold true. juju chang, abc news, new york. >> and patricia houston said in a statement tonight, "we are

saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are now glad to have closure." coming up, an abc news exclusive, the rutgers student convicted of a hate crime, speaking out to chris cuomo for the first time since that guilty verdict. ♪ [ male announcer ] how could a luminous protein in jellyfish, impact life expectancy in the u.s., real estate in hong kong, and the optics industry in germany? at t. rowe price, we understand the connections of a complex, global economy. it's just one reason over 75% of our mutual funds beat their 10-year lipper average. t. rowe price. invest with confidence. request a prospectus or summary prospectus with investment information, risks, fees and expenses to read and consider carefully before investing. my son and i never missed opening day. but with copd making it hard to breathe,

i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better, and that means... game on! symbicort is for copd, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. [ whistle ] with copd, i thought i might miss out on my favorite tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today i'm back with my favorite team. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help.

the amazing alternative to can't raisins and cranberriestion, with more fiber, less sugar, and a way better glycemic index. he's clearly enjoying one of the planet's most amazing superfruits. hey, keep it down mate, you'll wake the kids. plum amazins. new, from sunsweet. in absolute perfect physical condition and i had a heart attack right out of the clear blue... i'm on an aspirin regimen... and i take bayer chewables. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. he's my success story. [ laughs ] and now, an abc news exclusive.

for the first time tonight, we're going to hear from the young rutgers university student convicted in one of the most notorious bullying cases in the country. a jury found dharun ravi guilty of a hate crime last week after he spied on his gay roommate, tyler clementi, who later took his on life. so, what dois the young man sayg tonight? "20/20" co-anchor chris cuomo is here. >> reporter: diane, it was really important for us to get dharun ravi. we have this case we know about. we also have this conversation that this country is struggling with about bullying. dharun ravi finds himself in the middle of both and now for the first time, we can see what was going on in his mind when he did what he did. what did he think about tyler clementi? >> looking back, i was very self-absorbed. it was just about what i was thinking, what i was -- how i was reacting. it was never, what if tyler

finds out, how is he going to feel about it? i was 18. i wasn't thinking about my actions. >> reporter: did you bully tyler clementi? >> no, no, i didn't bully tyler clementi. >> reporter: do you think tyler clementi thought you were bullying him? >> no, i don't think he thought that at all. >> reporter: did you want to intimidate him, shame him? >> no. >> reporter: make him feel that what he was and what he was doing was wrong? >> no. i would never feel that about anyone for any reason. >> reporter: do you hate gay people? >> i don't. >> reporter: do you believe tyler clementi was intimidate bid you and your actions? >> he knew i wasn't trying to intimidate him and scare him because he was gay. i think he understood that. >> reporter: you feel confident of that? >> i do. >> reporter: did you want to out tyler clementi? >> no. >> reporter: did you record him having sex? >> no. >> reporter: it was all said and people believed it. >> yeah. >> reporter: and what did that make you? >> made me the worst possible person. >> reporter: face of the bully. >> yeah.

>> reporter: we want answers when gay kids die for bad reasons. >> yeah. >> reporter: we want to blame people because a lot of people get away with it. and in this situation, we had name, we had faces. we had charges. we had a case. >> yeah. >> reporter: and where were you in all of that? what were you making of the situation? >> i was -- i felt like i was being used by everybody. and i thought -- it was unfortunate that they're taking advantage of me, even though what they think happened isn't what happened. >> so, chris, does he tell us he's sorry for anything? >> reporter: he does. we talk about it a lot. he's been so constrained because of the litigation and the advice of lawyers and that maybe the law exceeded the humanity in this situation and we got him to open up about things that may matter more to people than fact and law. >> and he didn't take a plea deal. does he regret this now? what does he say? >> reporter: no, it's one of the more agonizing parts of this

situation. that he didn't take the deal. no jail time. but he had to admit that he was guilty of a hate crime. he said he wouldn't do it then because it is untrue. he will not do it now. he welcomes jail. he said, i'll go, i don't want to, but i will. he will not back off that position. >> all right, chris cuomo reporting in. he'll have more of that interview tomorrow night on "20/20." coming up, why secret service officers at the white house were ducking for cover service officers at the white house were ducking for cover today. ♪ [ male announcer ] the dodge journey was made to explore the real world. it has under-seat storage to bring everything, available seating for up to seven people to take everyone, and the grip of available all-wheel drive to go everywhere. think of it as a search engine helping you browse the real world. this march, get no extra charge third-row seating plus 0% financing on dodge journey.

why you fell in love with her in the first place. and why you still feel the same. but your erectile dysfunction -- that could be a question of blood flow. cialis for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision,

or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use last season was the gulf's best tourism season in years. in florida we had more suntans... in alabama we had more beautiful blooms... in mississippi we had more good times... in louisiana we had more fun on the water. last season we broke all kinds of records on the gulf. this year we are out to do even better... and now is a great time to start. our beatches are even more relaxing... the fishing's great. so pick your favorite spot on the gulf... and come on down. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home.

and now, remember the story we told you last night about the mysterious booms at night plaguing sleepy clintonville, wisconsin? well, the mystery may have been solved. we told you about the weird noises keeping residents up at night. and apparently there is a small, 1.5 magnitude earthquake that has been detected. it struck the town on tuesday and we are now told this could be the source of those strange sounds. and some exciting march madness footage. brittney griner from baylor university became the second woman ever in an ncaa tournament to score a slam dunk. her dunk in the second half helped baylor defeat florida. she said it definitely felt good. and this caught our eye today. would you believe it, a security

breach at the white house, with secret service agents as co-conspirators? apparently confused by what the west wing actually means, a mother duck became separated from her ducklings, unable to join mom on the white house lawn. the secret service put out a ramp to help the babies along. when that didn't help, they gingerly picked them up and slipped them through the white house gate. white house viz toshs today. and tonight, we mark the passing of two member that changed breakfast in america. remember when joe dimaggio was on tv, advertising this? >> mr. coffee uses up to 50% less coffee. >> reporter: well, we learned today the mister behind mr. coffee, sam glazer, died this month at 89. his invention was a big leap making coffee more convenient at home. and what is breakfast without a bagel?

murray lender, who introduced much of america to bagels tied thursday in florida. he was 81. he turned his father's small bakery into a frozen foot giant. and coming up, she may not look like a super hero, so, what was this wonderwoman's big idea for bringing power back to a small town? getting grime from deep inside grout takes the right tools,

but also a caring touch. you learn to get a feel for the trouble spots. to know its wants... its needs...its dreams. ♪call 1-800-steemer. so i wasn't playing much of a role in my own life, but with advair, i'm breathing better so now i can take the lead on a science adventure.

advair is clinically proven to help significantly improve lung function. unlike most copd medications, advair contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator, working together to help improve your lung function all day. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. if you're still having difficulty breathing, take the lead. ask your doctor if including advair could help improve your lung function. get your first full prescription free and save on refills at advaircopd.com.

the doctor leaned over and said to me, i was put on an aspirin, and it's part of my regimen now. "you just beat the widow-maker. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. go see your doctor now. and now, that unlikely knight on a white house for a paper mill town, which saw its last plant close in 2010. enter a billionaire, in stilettos, who said, why don't we make somebody nobody's going to bother to outsource to china?

jay schadler reports. >> reporter: we've seen this before. the empty store fronts. the empty houses. >> do you remember when the smoke stacks came down? >> yes, i do. and it was a sad day. it was part of our heritage dying. then lynn showed up. >> you think you're going to scare me, honey? >> reporter: lynn tilton, a billionaire turnaround specialist with flair for gucci, high heels and black leather. as founder and ceo of patriarch partners, she sits atop a financial empire of 76 companies. slightly less than the number of pairs of shoes in her closet. she's equally at home in her mansions or a construction site, but restoring main street america has become her burning passion. even the old timer down the coffee shop feel a stirring. have you ever seen her? >> just pictures of her. man, she was dressed to kill. >> i'm a woman of my word. >> reporter: and the word is -- >> tissue. the future is tissue.

>> reporter: seems like an awfully thin reed on which to save a small town that until recently was alive and well, only in the old picture postcards. but then something changed. and suddenly, gorham's showing signs of life and a future. it started just down the road at the old paper mill. three shifts running round the clock. 175 newly rehired workers. all thanks to tissue, which is cheaper to make here in the u.s. than overseas. why? >> shipping tissue makes no sense. it's like shipping air. it's just way too expensive. >> reporter: you can't [ bleep ] blow your nose, right? >> not yet. if steve jobs were alive, i wouldn't put it past him. >> reporter: hard to argue with a working class hero in high heels and leather. >> i get up each morning to know that i can make a difference in people's lives. >> she gave me a job and i give her my very best every time i punch my card. >> reporter: jay schadler, abc

news, gorhah, new hampshire. >> and till on the said once that when he father died, she began to dream bigger, work harder. "i want to heal everybody," he said. and we thank you for watching tonight. we're always there at abcnews.com. and remember, "nightline" will be along later. and, of course, we'll see you right back here again tomorrow night to close out the week with you. until then, have a great night.